ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey’s foreign minister on Tuesday blasted Israel for attempting to “divide Syria” and threatened to intervene in the country to prevent what he called a “direct threat” to Ankara’s national security.

Barrack suggested that Israel would prefer to see Syria fragmented and divided rather than a strong central state in control of the country.

President Trump’s special envoy for Syria on Monday criticized Israeli strikes against the country last week as poorly timed and complicating efforts to stabilize the region, in an interview with The Associated Press.